Delhiites head to hill stations to escape air pollution

A majority of Delhiites are thronging or heading to hill stations nearby to escape from the toxic levels of air pollution.

Hotels in Dharamshala and Shimla are doing brisk business.

"We are getting many walk-in guests as tourists, especially from Delhi, have been making reservations here," said the booking in-charge manager for Himachal Tourism hotels in Dharamshala.

Travellers, on the other hand, are cancelling their plans to visit Delhi and heading directly to the hill stations.

"Had plans to go for Delhi darshan, but got to know about Delhi pollution and so we came to Dharamshala instead," said a tourist.

"I went to Delhi last week and the smog was noticeable. Now, I have a sore throat because of that," said a foreigner.

"We have come here from Delhi because the pollution levels have increased tremendously there and we wanted some relief," a tourist told ANI.

Meanwhile, the environment secretaries of Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and Rajasthan will submit a report on the burning of agricultural residues and the measures their respective governments will take or are taking to curb pollution to the National Green Tribunal (NGT).

The NGT, yesterday, chided the Centre and the Delhi government for their delayed response to the air pollution issue, and asked them to move quickly to engage all stakeholders in the fight against smog.

Delhi Culture Minister Kapil Mishra also appealed to people in the national capital to come up with suggestions to tackle pollution.

With vehicular emissions seeing to be the major contributor to Delhi pollution, state Health minister Satyendra Jain hinted at a return of the odd-even vehicular movement policy.